Matt Read (thread started in 2011)

[WeekendAtBernies]

Other than the hands and the above average shot I agree with what you said about Read. Powe had similar other traits to this...I do think Read is better offensively than Powe though by a mile.

He isn't really good in our forecheck game, he gets knocked off the puck easily (but so does Briere), and I don't see the same offensive ability that I see in Voracek...who has stellar vision and has been excellent in traffic with the puck.
My point was that I think his stats are a little over his head. Obviously if he finishes the year at the same pace I'll be wrong, and happy to be so.
I also don't hate Jeff Carter, and he was (still is) a valuable player...but some of the talk about him is that he's some sort of sniper. I haven't reviewed any of his goals lately, but I don't remember Carter ever really picking corners...he took a TON of shots to probably accomplish his goals.
In comparison, its really easy to call someone like Jagr a sniper...fast release, hard shot, and guy hits corners all the time. Obviously he's a HOF...and I'm not expecting that out of either Carter or Reid, but I was just trying to make a comparison.

I also don't think its really pertinent to bring his cap number into this...from just a talent standpoint. I'm not advocating getting rid of him or anything...nor do I think he's a bad player.

Id go:
1. Couts/Schenn - so close...both have been fantastic.
2. JVR (really down year for him, but the potential is immense)
3. Voracek - He's like Giroux lite, without the goal scoring...he has the ability to bring that up though.
4. Simmonds (I hate putting him this low. He's been one of the better forwards for a month. Does nothing but cause problems and create opportunities out there. I didn't think he'd be this good).
5. Read.

Matt Read absolutely has an above average shot. His accuracy is excellent and he has shown an ability to pick the corners well. He also gets very nice velocity on his wrister. See the shot he took on his breakaway goal the other night, it was a nice shot. It is definitely above-average.

I agree that he is not incredible in the corners but at his size I would not expect him to be. He is more than adequate and much better than Briere though. And his defense in 10x that of Briere. Read is an excellent 2 way player. Briere has no clue what the word "defense" even means.

As far as Carter goes, he is absolutely a sniper. He has a great wrister, a quick release, etc. He has been noted for his quick release time and time again. He is a better shooter than Jagr. I am sorry, but it is true.

If you want some evidence, go here [link]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbXRct9sJdc[/link]

Ranking the young players:

1. Sean Couturier: Is already a special talent on the defense end, by far the Flyers best defensive forward and one of the top defensive forwards in the NHL. Should be in the top 20 for the Selke award as a rookie. His offensive upside is also immense. Easily has first line potential and after putting on a little weight and improving his skating ability this offseason, he should be incredible.

2. JVR: Has all the tools you could ever want in a player. He has the speed, the size, all the dekes, the hands, excellent vision, a hard shot, the list goes on. He just needs to refine himself and find consistency like a lot of young powerforwards. He showed major flashes of his ability in the playoffs and even though lots of fans were not pleased with how he was doing early this season, he had sixteen points in nineteen games before getting injured and he has not been the same since. A player that can be nearly a point per game and can have fans calling him unimpressive must have an immense skill set.

3. Schenn: Mike Richards-lite (for now). Down the road Mike Richards could actually end up being Brayden Schenn-lite.

4. Matt Read: Simon Gagne-lite. He is already on pace for 28-28-56 as a rookie. However, he is 25 and is therefore already in his prime. So he obviously is not going to have some gigantic jump in points, or at least it is not likely. But I do not think it is a stretch to say he could have a 35-30-65 season and a couple more 30-30-60 seasons. He is more than a third liner. He is a good quality 2nd liner. Perhaps even a really good 2nd liner depending on how things go.

5. Jakub Voracek: Do not see the Giroux-lite comparison. Voracek is a beast through the neutral zone, is excellent possessing the puck in the corners, but he has no finishing ability whatsoever and actually his passing is not even all that great. He has a career high of fifty points and he has gone backwards since that point. He is still young, but the shot is not going to get that much better. I see his peak being around 20g-40a-60pts. Maybe something will happen and he will be more than that, but I do not see it.

 

[WeekendAtBernies]

Hey guys, I was wondering, in three years, what do you guys think will be Matt Read's role on the Flyers? Do you guys see him as a third line energy guy who can chip in or a top-six guy? What's his potential? Thanks.

In three years, I see Matt Read on our 2nd line, producing 30 goals and 30 assists consistently.

I think his highest potential would be a 35-40-75 season, but I doubt he reaches that.

 

[mirimon]

If Read doesn't have some horrible sophomore slump next season, another two seasons of the way he's played this year for a 900k cap hit is a very good thing for a team that's always up close towards the cap ceiling. That alone makes him more valuable to our team (as it stands right now) than guys like Voracek and Simmonds imo. Voracek definitely has a higher ceiling, but to have a guy that can play anywhere in your lineup (ok... maybe not 1st line center), on the pp as well as on the pk, and brings such a good overall game as Read has done - and all that for under 1M, that is very, very valuable. Especially if the cap won't go up next year.

 

[Giroux tha Damaja]

Matt Read absolutely has an above average shot. His accuracy is excellent and he has shown an ability to pick the corners well. He also gets very nice velocity on his wrister. See the shot he took on his breakaway goal the other night, it was a nice shot. It is definitely above-average.

I agree that he is not incredible in the corners but at his size I would not expect him to be. He is more than adequate and much better than Briere though. And his defense in 10x that of Briere. Read is an excellent 2 way player. Briere has no clue what the word "defense" even means.

As far as Carter goes, he is absolutely a sniper. He has a great wrister, a quick release, etc. He has been noted for his quick release time and time again. He is a better shooter than Jagr. I am sorry, but it is true.

If you want some evidence, go here [link]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbXRct9sJdc[/link]

Ranking the young players:

1. Sean Couturier: Is already a special talent on the defense end, by far the Flyers best defensive forward and one of the top defensive forwards in the NHL. Should be in the top 20 for the Selke award as a rookie. His offensive upside is also immense. Easily has first line potential and after putting on a little weight and improving his skating ability this offseason, he should be incredible.

2. JVR: Has all the tools you could ever want in a player. He has the speed, the size, all the dekes, the hands, excellent vision, a hard shot, the list goes on. He just needs to refine himself and find consistency like a lot of young powerforwards. He showed major flashes of his ability in the playoffs and even though lots of fans were not pleased with how he was doing early this season, he had sixteen points in nineteen games before getting injured and he has not been the same since. A player that can be nearly a point per game and can have fans calling him unimpressive must have an immense skill set.

3. Schenn: Mike Richards-lite (for now). Down the road Mike Richards could actually end up being Brayden Schenn-lite.

4. Matt Read: Simon Gagne-lite. He is already on pace for 28-28-56 as a rookie. However, he is 25 and is therefore already in his prime. So he obviously is not going to have some gigantic jump in points, or at least it is not likely. But I do not think it is a stretch to say he could have a 35-30-65 season and a couple more 30-30-60 seasons. He is more than a third liner. He is a good quality 2nd liner. Perhaps even a really good 2nd liner depending on how things go.

5. Jakub Voracek: Do not see the Giroux-lite comparison. Voracek is a beast through the neutral zone, is excellent possessing the puck in the corners, but he has no finishing ability whatsoever and actually his passing is not even all that great. He has a career high of fifty points and he has gone backwards since that point. He is still young, but the shot is not going to get that much better. I see his peak being around 20g-40a-60pts. Maybe something will happen and he will be more than that, but I do not see it.

I'm with you on a lot of this, but Brayden Schenn has a long way to go before his career is on par with Mike Richards. Mike Richards put together a ppg season against the toughest competition when he had two capable 1st/2nd line wingers. He put up 60 points against the toughest match-ups in the league with third liners on his wing, and maintained a good +/- while he was at it. Off ice issues aside, when the puck dropped Richards was a beast.

 

[duffy9748]

I'm with you on a lot of this, but Brayden Schenn has a long way to go before his career is on par with Mike Richards. Mike Richards put together a ppg season against the toughest competition when he had two capable 1st/2nd line wingers. He put up 60 points against the toughest match-ups in the league with third liners on his wing, and maintained a good +/- while he was at it. Off ice issues aside, when the puck dropped Richards was a beast.

Thank you. I think people are forgetting how important Richards was to our success over the past few years. I am happy with the trades that were made but Richards and Carter are still here if Holmgren ever acquired a real goalie.

 

[GKJ]

Plainly put: Flyers basically hit the lottery on Matt Read:

http://www.broadstreethockey.com/2012/2/4/2770121/matt-read-is-awesome-like-charlie-bucket


You sign a handful of these guys and hope you get something from 2 of them.

 

[Spongolium*]

Three phrases that should be banned on hfboards.

Beast-Mode
Win now-Mode
"insert player" - Lite

 

[thelos]

Plainly put: Flyers basically hit the lottery on Matt Read:

http://www.broadstreethockey.com/2012/2/4/2770121/matt-read-is-awesome-like-charlie-bucket


You sign a handful of these guys and hope you get something from 2 of them.

Read, Bob, and Gustavsson. 3 great young UFA signings who are contributing to one of the best teams in the east

 

[jd2210]

Read, Bob, and Gustavsson. 3 great young UFA signings who are contributing to one of the best teams in the east

Homers legacy may very well be his ability to sign and utilize undrafted players. Akeson and others (Brown? Manning? Holmstrom? Testwuide?) may well contribute to this team yet too.

 

[Spongolium*]

Are you also forgetting Scrabbles. While he might not have any more upside than a third line grinder, he has played and looked impressive in the NHL. Not a great deal of drafted prospects get to say that.

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

Three phrases that should be banned on hfboards.

Beast-Mode
Win now-Mode
"insert player" - Lite

added to the list

**insert player here** is so clutch

 

[Beef Invictus]

added to the list

**insert player here** is so clutch

And it's not even close. AINEC. Whichever.

 

[Ryker]

Post-game interview with Matt Read.

The entire clip, intro included, is 1:22 long. The phrase "you know" is uttered 21 times, if my count is correct. He also does not talk the entire time.

 

[BillDineen]

I like Read's chemistry with Couturier. Lavy seems to want a shut-down line of Talbot-Couturier-Voracek, but I would prefer Read over Talbot on that line.

 

[Embiid]

John Smallwood: Flyers rookie Read seems to have broken through the 'wall'

A rookie 20 goal scorer...not bad.

"Wall"....


http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/flyers/142026913.html

 

[Embiid]

Leading Rookie goal scorer.....

 

[iamcanadian23]

Leads rookies in goals scored...
Leads rookies in game-winning goals...
Among leaders in rookie shooting percentage...
Among leaders in rookie shorthanded time on ice...

But no love, because he is twenty-five.

Not saying he should be winning top rookie honours, but the kid does not even enter discussions...

 

[Embiid]

Leads rookies in goals scored...
Leads rookies in game-winning goals...
Among leaders in rookie shooting percentage...
Among leaders in rookie shorthanded time on ice...

But no love, because he is twenty-five.

Not saying he should be winning top rookie honours, but the kid does not even enter discussions...

Yeah if he was red-headed and a stepchild I would understand it more....

He's like the kid whose been left behind in school...no respect.

Jagr in his interview kind of even reserved praise a bit by saying he's a different kind of rookie since he's 25...

I mean I understand it somewhat but still his accomplishments shouldn't be downplayed as much especially considering people were saying he was overrated and would collapse of exhaustion by game 41....

 

[sa cyred]

Well I guess me defending Read since May-July worked out abit. Nobody can be sad about a 47 pt rookie. He plays on the pk, pp, center, left and right.

Bet he plays defense next season (on the point in the pp doesnt count )

 

[flyershockey]

I haven't read the entire thread, but does Read remind anyone of Sharp when he was here? I think they're pretty similar players in both style and skill level.

 

[ranto]

His speed is often under-sold. Tonight should be evidence enough though (two breakaways). This crop of young players will serve the Flyers well in the future.

 

[Damaged Goods]

I like the first page of this thread.

 

[s3x]

I haven't read the entire thread, but does Read remind anyone of Sharp when he was here? I think they're pretty similar players in both style and skill level.

Absolutely. I think most people have seen that for much of the season. If you look back especially around the trade deadline, people were afraid that we'd trade him for a piece and he'd end up becoming better than Sharp. I don't see him going anywhere. Can't make that mistake twice.

 

[Beef Invictus]

Guy destroyed all of my doubts and made me a fan. Great season! He deserves Calder discussion.

 

[Embiid]

Reader is still going strong...becoming very versatile and important to this team. Somehow they will need to sign him. He is what Versteeg wasn't for us...although Steeger was injured.